Method of cleaning rubber articles such as gloves



March 5, 1963 G. H. FREIER ETAL 8 METHOD OF CLEANING RUBBER ARTICLESsuca AS GLOVES Filed Oct. 28. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NH ll y 7 ll IIzzazztarzs Geri/a H. Fro/"er Norman 6. Ra /7 March 5, 1963 G. H. FREIERETAL ,0 0

METHOD OF CLEANING RUBBER ARTICLES SUCH AS GLOVES Filed Oct. 28. 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 2 {Ti-jig 10 fizazztars Gerald H. Frel'er Norman 6. R0 fl)United States Patent 3,080,252 METHOD OF CLEANING RUBBER ARTICLES SUCHAS GLOVES Gerald H. Freier and Norman G. Roth, Benton Harbor,

Mich., assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, St. Joseph,

Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 849,400 3Claims. (Cl. 11718) The present invention relates broadly to thecleaning of articles contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, and is moreparticularly concerned with a continuous process and apparatus fordisinfecting, washing, rinsing and lubricating rubber gloves and similararticles.

The customary procedure in the cleaning of rubber gloves is essentiallycompletely a hand operation from start to finish, requiringsterilization, washing, drying the outer surface, turning outside-in,drying the second surface and then powdering. Such a procedure mayreadily be recognized to be laborious and time consuming, andnotwithstanding these important disadvantages, the steps described havedestructive effects upon the gloves so that generally the life thereofis not more than two to three wearings. To eliminate certain of thehandling in the washing and drying steps it has been proposed to launderthe gloves in an automatic washer-drier; however, this technique is onlya partial solution to the problem since the gloves must then be handpowdered and sterilized to render them suitable for re-use.

It is accordingly an important aim of the present invention to provide amethod for cleaning bacteria-containing rubber articles, and whichfeatures the elimination of the excessive time and labor requirementsnamed and which has no deleterious effects upon the physical propertiesof the rubber articles.

Another object of this invention lies in the provision of a method ofcleaning rubber gloves and the like, comprising automatically andcontinuously disinfecting, washing, rinsing and powder lubricating thegloves.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide apparatus forcleaning rubber gloves and like articles, comprising an outer containerand foraminous drum rotatable therein, means for injecting a stream offluid into the drum for washing and rinsing the articles therein, meansfor directing a disinfecting fluid into the drum, means for injecting apowder lubricant into the drum, and means for selectively actuating thefluid injecting means, disinfectant directing means and lubricantinjecting means whereby the articles are first disinfected and thenwashed, rinsed and lubricated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of cleaningrubber gloves and like articles, which comprises the steps ofcontinuously contacting the articles with a disinfecting medium todestroy any pathogenic bacteria. on the articles, discharging thedisinfecting medium and any destroyed bacteria, contacting thedisinfected articles first with a laundry fluid and then with a rinsingfluid, and applying to the laundered and rinsed articles a powderlubricant while the articles have rinsing fluid thereon to provide apowder residue sufiicient to permit easy gloving on a powdered hand.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentduring the course of the following description, particularly when takenin connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughoutthe same:

FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional view, with parts shown in side elevationand with parts broken away, illustrating a laundry machine provided inaccordance with the principles of the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view, with parts ice broken away andwith parts shown in cross section, of the laundry machine of FIGURE 1,and showing particularly means for injecting a'disinfectant, laundrymedium and powder lubricant into said machine.

There is shown in the drawings and will be described herein a particulartype of combination washer-drier apparatus which has performedparticularly effectively in the practice of the method steps of thisinvention. However, it will be readily apparent to those versed in theart that other forms of combination machine may be employed whenmodified as taught herein. Further, while the invention will bedescribed in connection with the cleaning of rubber gloves, it will beappreciated that other articles requiring the steps of disinfecting,washing, rinsing and lubricating can also be processed in accordancewith instant teachings.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a laundry machinecomprising a combination washer-drier indicated generally at 10. While amachine of the character illustrated normally also performs extractorfunctions by use of spin cycles, it has been found desirable for thepres ent purposes that fluid removal be effected by cycles of pump outand tumble. Specifically, spinning alone is not completely effective inremoving water from within the glove fingers.

The combination washer-drier 10 comprises an outer shell 11 suitablyfinished to enhance the decorative appearance of the machine, and insidethe shell 11 is a casing or outer container 12 of generally rectangularover-all configuration, but which is provided with a curved generallyarcuately shaped bottom wall 13 and a sump 14 is provided at the bottomportion thereof subjacent a large hollow space enclosed by the casing-12. This hollow space is herein characterized as a treatment zone inwhich the disinfecting, washing, rinsing, drying and lubricatingoperations are performed.

Carried within the casing 12 is a rotatable generally cylindricalforaminous drum 15 provided with a rear wall 16 connected to shaftsupport 17, and a front wall 18 having a centrally disposed frontopening 19. A peripheral wall 20, preferably foraminous, is disposedbetween the rear and front walls 16 and 18 and carries a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced radially inwardly extending ribs 21.

The shaft support unit 17 includes a rotatable shaft 22 to which thedrum 15 is firmly connected for corotation by means of a fastening nut23. The shaft unit 17 is supported in a rear wall 24 of the outercontainer 12, and together therewith serves to support the shaft unit 17by means of a bearing housing unit (not shown). Adjacent the free end ofthe shaft 22 is a pulley wheel 26 held in firm assembly with the shaft22 by means of the fastener 23.

The casing 12 has spaced away from the rear wall 24 a front Wall 27formed with an annular flange portion 27a cooperating with an annularflange portion 11a on the front wall of the shell 11 to mount an annularsealing member 28 defining an opening 29 lying generally in registrywith the opening 19 in the drum front wall 18. While the seal means 28may of course take different shapes, the substantially tear-dropconfiguration shown works quite effectively.

The annular gasket 28 functions as a door seal, and for this purposebears against an annular flange portion 30a formed on a door 30 mounted'by suitable hinges (not shown) connected to the shell 11 or casing 12.As is the practice, handle means and yieldable latch means are employedwith the door 30.

In order to charge the machine 10 with a supply of liquid, and in orderto supply a stream of rinsing liquid into the treatment zone, a freshwater inlet 31 passes through and is supported by the rear wall of theouter shell 11 and the rear wall 24 of the casing 12. The inlet 31connects with a vacuum break means 32 supported by a transverse wall 33extending between the casing front and rear walls 27 and 24,respectively. Liquid is discharged from the inlet nozzle portion 31ainto the interior of the outer container 12 and is received in the sump14 thereof for circulation into the rotatable drum 15.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, means areprovided for introducing into the rotatable drum in contact withsurgical rubber gloves or the like therein a predetermined quantity orvolume of disinfectant at a particular concentration, as well as meansfor later introducing into said drum a laundry fluid and meansfor'subsequently applying a lubricant to the disinfected, washed andrinsed gloves or other articles. The disinfectant introducing means isdesignated generally in FIGURE 2 by the numeral 34, and comprises acontainer 35 suitably supported by the outer container 12 and having. afunnel portion 35a connecting with tube portion 36a of valve means 36.The tube portion 36a is constricted to a normally closed condition asindicated at 36b, and integral with the constricted portion 36b is apair of tongue or key members 37 and 38 of generally T configurationrecived in similarly shaped slots in a pair of plate members 39 and 40,respectively. The plate 40 may be stationary, while the plate 39 is freefor movement and connects with a shaft 41 of a solenoid 42 wired intothe electrical system of the machine 10, and particularly the timerportion thereof. As noted, the tube portion 36b is normally closed byformation of the permanent constriction therein, and an electricalsignal to the solenoid 42 moves the shaft 41 and connecting plate 39 tothe left as viewed in FIGURE 2, to open the tube portion 36b and permitthe flow of disinfectant through tube portion 360 into the sump 14, sothat the disinfectant may bediluted by water in the sump to avoid thepossibility of damage to the rubber gloves or other articles, should ahighly concentrated disinfectant be used. The tube portion or conduit360 is of course attached to the inner walls of the container 12 bysuitable means, which may include embossments, bracket means or thelike.

The Washing powder or detergent and the glove lubricant or talc areintroduced directly into the rotatable drum115, and for this purposethere is provided by this invention detergent introducing meansidentified generally as 43 and talc introducing means designated in itsentirety by the numeral 44. With the exception of the materialsdispensed thereby, the detergent and talc introducing means areidentical in structure, and for this reason only the detergentdispensing means will be described in detail and like numerals with thesuffix a have been appended to like parts of the talc introducing means44.

The detergent introducing means 43 comprises a container 45 having afront wall 46, end walls (not shown), and a rear wall provided by wallportion 47 of the stationary front wall 27 of the outer container 12.The front wall 46 of the detergent container '45 is formed with aninwardly and downwardly sloping portion 48 providing a funnel or spoutportion for the container 45, and washing powder or detergent directedthereby isconveyed into the interior of the rotatable drum 15 by actionof feeder means 49a supported by suitable brackets 50 and driven bymotor means 51. As is shown in FIGURE 1, the stationary front wall 27 ofthe container 12 is suitably shaped to receive the feeder means 49 andto provide a generally horizontal flow path for detergent from thecontainer 45 into the interior of the drum 15 through the opening 19therein. The motor means 51 is connected with the electrical system ofthe machine 10, and particularly with the timer portion thereof, so thatdetergent or talc are controllably admitted to the drum interior inaccordance with. a pre-set machine cycle. As FIGURE 1 illustrates,detergent or talc are admitted to the introducing means 43 and 44,respectively, through a loading door 52 formed in the top wall of theshell 11.

To complete the description of the apparatus, a liquid introducing meansin the form of a nozzle 53 formed on a conduit 54 and supported by thewall 27 is provided to direct liquid from the sump 14 through theopening '19 in the drum front wall 18. As is appreciated, the liquid inthe sump at different times may be Water alone, a solution ofdisinfectant and water, or either laundry fluid or rinsing fluid. Withinthe conduit 54 there is located valve means 55 of the two-position typefor controlling recirculation and drain, and the conduit 54 leads fromthe valve 55 to a pump 56 to which connects a conduit 57 providing anoutlet from the sump 14, and through which suction can be drawn by thepump 5'6 to recirculate fluid from said sump and through the valve 55and conduit 54 through the nozzle 53 and into the drum interior.

The pump 56 is driven by a motor 58 through a shaft 59, and asillustrated, the motor 58 may provide power for rotating the drum 15through transmission means 60 and a shaft 61 supporting a pulley 62.about which is trained a belt 63 further trained about the pulley 26 onthe shaft 2-2.

It is desirable as a step in the present method that the rubber glovesor similar articles be dried either subsequent to application of thepowder lubricant, ,or dried initially to remove a portion of the rinsingfluid prior to contact of the gloves with the lubricant. The machine 10herein disclosed accordingly embodies means to generate thermal energy,designated generally in the drawings at 64, and which may comprise aheater box or chamber 65 having heating elements 66 therein, the heaterbox 65 communicating with the interior of the container 12 and thetreatment zone by means of a conduit 67 and receiving air from an intake68.. Air is drawn in through the intake 68 to be heated by the elements66 and a forced air flow effected in the treatment zone by blower meansdesignated generally by the numeral 69. The blower means may comprise anexhaust conduit 70 connecting with a fan scroll 71 which mounts motormeans 72 and receiving an intake conduit 73 extending into the interiorof the outer container 12. As is now apparent, air to be heated is drawninto the machine 10' through the intake 68 under action of the blowermeans 69, and said air is heated by thev thermal elements 66 and passesinto the treatment zone through the conduit 67 and is withdrawn from thetreatment zone by the blower means 69 the air passing through the intakeconduit 73, into the fan scroll 71 and through the exhaust conduit 70.The blower motor 72' is connected to the timer system of the machine 10so that the blower is actuated only during the drying cycle of thecleaning operation, and similarly, the heating means 64 is electricallyconnected with the timer mechanism for actuation only during drying. Thetimer may of course take many different forms, and suitable timer meansare indicated more or less schematically in the drawings by the numeral74.

While exemplary operating conditions will be later described and adiscussion given of specific examples of the novel results obtained,there will first be described generally a typical laundering sequence.Initially a quantity of contaminated rubber gloves or similar articlesare placed within the interior of the drum 15 through the openingscontrolled by the door 30-. Electrical controls for regulation of watertemperature, and for control of the washing and drying cycles includingthe solenoid and motor means 42, 51 and 51a controlling disinfectant,detergent and lubricant flow from the containers 35, 45 and 45a,respectively, such as by the pre-settable sequential control means andselecting controls-indicated generally at 74 so that no further manualintervention will be required.

' The washing cycle is initiated by the introduction of a charge ofwater from the fresh water inlet 31. The water enters the inlet 31through an electrically operated thermostatically controlled mixingvalve (not shown) of a type well known to those skilled in the art. Thesupply of water through the mixing valve is cut off when the level ofthe water in the sump 14 reaches a predetermined amount. A predeterminedquantity or volume of disinfectant of a controlled concentrationeffective to destroy bacteria on the rubber gloves is introduced intothe sump 14 from the container 35 under action of the solenoid means 42which opens the normally closed constriction 36b. The motor 58 is thenenergized to rotate the drum 15 and to operate the pump 56 to direct acontinuous stream of the disinfectant- Water solution from the sump 14through the conduits 57 and 54 and outwardly from the nozzle 53.

After a predetermined disinfecting period, the disinfectant-watersolution and destroyed bacteria are pumped from the sump through aconduit 54a to a drain outlet, the valve 55 having and being actuated toa drain position. Fresh water is again introduced through the inlet 211to fill the sump 14 to the desired level, and detergent introduced intothe tub interior from the compartment 45 by action of the feeder means49 and motor means 51. The pump '56 introduces the washing fluid fromthe sump 14 through the nozzle 53, and upon completion of the timecontrolled washing cycle, the washing fluid is pumped out through theconduit 54a to the drain, and the tub 15 tumbled to remove the maximumquantity of wash water and suds. Fresh water is then again introducedthrough the inlet 31 and a rinsing cycle performed, which is followed byanother pump out and tumble and a second clear water rinse, if desired.

An additional pump out and tumble is then employed. The drying step isthen initiated, and during the first phase of the drying the motor means51m and feeder means 49a under control of the sequential timingmechanism 74 are actuated to introduce lubricant from the compartment45a into the drum 15. During the initial phase of the drying step theexterior surfaces of the gloves are still wet, and when a powderlubricant is employed, a slurry is formed on the glove surfaces whichdistributes itself into the ins-ides of the gloves during the tumblingand drying. As the drying step continues, the water is driven from theslurrry, and a dry powder lubricant is left on the glove surfaces as aresidue. The residue has been found to be more than is generallyaccomplished by a manual hand powdering of individual gloves. Aftercompletion of the drying step and the lubricating action described, thegloves are then removed from the drum 15 and further processed as iscustomary practice.

At present the preferred disinfectant is sodium hypochlorite, andextensive investigations have been conducted establishing the relativecompatibility of this compound with rubber gloves, as well as itseffectiveness in destroyi-ng bacterial spores under variousconcentrations, contact times and temperatures. While the instantprocess effectively chemically sterilizes gloves contaminated with anypathogenic bacteria, including such resistant organisms as thoseresponsible for anthrax, tetanus, gas gangrene, and botulism, conductedusing spores of Bacillus subtilis var. niger, recognized test organismsin work of this nature.

In these investigations wherein times were varied from zero to 35minutes, temperatures from 45 to 160 F., and disinfectant concentrationsfrom zero to 1000 ppm. sodium hypochlorite (as available sodiumhypochlorite), it has been found that a desirable set of conditions is aconcentration of 500 ppm. sodium hypochlorite, at 120 F., for tenminutes contact time. provides a safety factor on all variables asfollows:

the tests to be described were Time-If 500 ppm. NaOCl and 120 F. areheld constant, five minutes is sufficient time for sterilization.

Temperature.lf 500 ppm. NaOCl and 10 minutes and held constant, 75 F. issuflicient temperature for sterilization.

Concentration.lf 120 F. and 10 minutes are held constant, ppm. NaOCl issufficient for sterilization.

It may be seen therefore that if there is a failure in time of treatmentto about one-half the recommended time, temperature of treatment toroomtemperature, or concentration of NaOCl to one-fifth the recommendedconcentration, sterilization will still be effected as long as the othertwo variables meet the recommended conditions.

The following examples will serve to illustrate the effectiveness of thepresent method in completely cleansing rubber gloves for re-use.

EXAMPLE I Fifty pairs of surgical gloves were contaminated by dipping inan aqueous suspension of B. Subtilis spores. Two independentreplications were made. Total initial contamination level, based onrinse counts, was approximately 5 10 spores per glove. Gloves wereallowed to air dry, and were then placed in the machine and run throughthe cycle described. 'Four gloves were removed and assayed by rinsecounts for the presence of live indicator spores after each of thefollowing cycles: 0 time, disinfect, final rinse, and end of dry.Samples of the drain water at the end of the disinfect and final rinsecycles were also assayed for viable spores after the disinfect cycle. Novisible spores remained on the gloves, and no live spores were found inthe drain Water samples.

EXAMPLE II An additional quantity of gloves were heavily smeared withcanine whole blood on both sides and were allowed to dry overnight. Thegloves were almost impossible to separate manually. After the completedescribed cycle in the machine, the gloves were entirely suitable foruse.

EXAMPLE III Gloves were dipped into red blood cells contaminated withspores of B. subtilis, allowed to drain and dry for twenty-four hours,then turned outside-in and dried for an additional twenty-four hoursbefore being cleansed in the manner herein described. The gloves sotreated were washed clean, and could not be differentiated visually fromclean control gloves. Sterilization was complete, as no spores could bedetected on the gloves, in the wash water, or on the inside of thewasher-drier.

In connection with the tests described above, air samples were alsotaken from the vicinity of the machine 10 during all stages ofoperation. It was found that all samples were negative for bothvegetative and sporetype test organisms deliberately placed on thegloves.

It is of course appreciated that grossly contaminated articles mayrequire some increase in the NaOCl used in the disinfecting step. Thechlorine demand of several organic materials is given in Table A below.

The variation in the amount of chlorine is of course negligible exceptin severe cases. A concentration of 500 p.p.m. chlorine in 3.5 gallons(approximately 13.3 liters) results in 6650 mg. chlorine in thedisinfect solution. It has been noted above that 100 parts per million(p.p.m.) of chlorine are sufficient to effect sterilization under thetime and temperature conditions used in the machine 10, that is,approximately 1330 mg. chlorine in the total disinfect solution. Basedon a chlorine demand for canine blood of 26.5 mg. chlorine per gram ofblood, it would take more than 200 grams of blood on the gloves to tieup sufficient chlorine to render sterilization ineffective.

A comparison has also been made of possible damage to rubber gloves bytreating under the recommended conditions of 500 p.p.m. N-aOCl for tenminutes at 120 F., as against damage when rubber gloves are treated bythe standard steam sterilization technique using pressures of 15 p.s.i.at 250 F. for fifteen minutes. The test conditions used were to removethe fingers from the gloves and to cut the upper portion thereof inhalf. One-half of each glove was treated and the other half used as acontrol, in order to eliminate variability due to differences inindividual gloves. The samples were treated for a total of 90 minutes,the NaOCl treated samples being removed and tested at ten minuteintervals, while the steam sterilized samples were removed and tested atfifteen minute intervals. All samples were tested using ASDM designationB-4l2-51 T, which covers tension testing of vulcanized rubber. Thegloves chemically sterilized for 90 minutes showed essentially nodamage, whereas the steam sterilized gloves showed extensive andprogressive damage after each sterilization period. The results obtainedin these tests are set forth in Table B below.

Table B RUBBER LIFE TESTS OF STERILIZED Further tests have beenconducted on the possibility of glove damage when the gloves arecompletely cycled through the steps of the method of the instantinvention. Surgical gloves were run through thirty complete cycles, andin the first six cycles, the number of gloves was varied fromfifty toone hundred pairs to determine the capacity of the machine. After cycleNo. 6, the number of gloves was reduced to fifty pairs, and this wasused as the optimum load for cycles 7 through 30. After each cycle, all

8 gloves were examined visually for percent sticking. After runs 2, 4,15, 20, 25 and 30, gloves were tested in the same manner used to obtainthe results set forth in Table B. No change in 300 percent modulus wasnoted, nor was there any change in 600% modulus or elongation throughthirty runs. The tensile strength decreased slightly up to twenty runs,and showed no apparent change thereafter. Sticking was negligible, andthe gloves were perfectly satisfactory for use after thirty runs. Theresults obtained are set forth in Table C below:

Table C RUBBER LIFE TESTS OF SURGICAL GLOVES SUB- JECTED TO EXTENDEDTREATMENT IN THE WASH- ER-DRIER COMBINATION Percent Change of TreatedGlove Area from Untreated Glove Area Number of cycles 1 Tensile 300%600% Elonga- Strength modulus modulus tion 10 +13 5 +1 32 -4 9 2 -18 +3-5 10 -42 i0 25 i0 -47 3:2 15 l2 42 i0 4 9 Each cycle included 10minutes at 500 p.p.m. NaOCl at -125I I Those versed in the art willappreciate that water volumes and the time duration of the various stepsof this process can readily be varied; however, in work performed todate and upon which the results above were based the following cycle wasfound desirable. The machine '10 was filled to normal fill level whichbrought approximately 13.5 litters of 120 F. water into the machine.milliliters of Clorox compound (normally 50,000 p.p.m. NaOCl) was addedto give a 500 p.p.m. disinfectant NaOCl solution. The glove werecleansed in this solution for ten minutes, and the temperature wascontrolled to provide a maximum of 129 F. The disinfect period wasfollowed .by one minute of pump out and tumble, and thereafter the sumpwas filled to normal level, and a low sudsing detergent was added tomake a 0.2% solution (27 grams) by Weight. The gloves were detergentwashed for five minutes with the temperature reaching a maximum of 123F. This Wash and disinfect cycle was sufiicient to Wash and completelyturn partially inverted gloves. The wash cycle was followed by a twominute pump out and tumble cycle to remove as much wash water and sudsas possible.

The cycle was continued by rinsing the glove for two minutes in clear110 F. water followed by a one minutepump out and tumble and another oneminute clear water rinse. Thereafter a two minute pump out and tumblewas used to insure that the gloves were emptied of water collected onthe finger tips. The drying cycle was then initiated, and during thefirst ten minutes of the cycle the exterior surfaces of the gloves werewet. During this ten minute period the gloves were sprinkled with talc,approximately 50 grams being sufficient. The drying step was continuedto completion for a total of 45 minutes which is normally suificient todry the gloves after powder lubrication in the wet stage. For a total offifty pairs of gloves in the machine 10, a disinfect, wash and rinsecycle of 24 minutes as described removes such difficult materials asanimal fats and alcohol dried blood stains, and for this same load, theforty-five minute dry ing cycle produces the desired results.

It may now be seen that by proceeding in accordance with the novelconcepts herein disclosed there are obtained numerous and substantialadvantages over the earlier methods of cleansing rubber gloves and likearticles. There is provided a fully automated method performed in asingle machine of known construction modified in accordance with theprinciples of this invention to incorporate the disclosed novel elementswhich coact with the known elements to produce a new combination.Substantial time savings are effected by the instant method anddisclosed apparatus, these savings being generally of the order of 75%.Specifically, when rubber gloves are washed by hand, about 85 secondsper pair are required to collect, sterilize (autoclave), Wash, rinse,dry the outer surface, turn outside-in, dry the second surface, powderand return the gloves to the point of reuse. In addition, facilities fordrying gloves must be provided. By way of contrast, employing thepresent method requires only about 20 seconds per pair of gloves tohandle, wash, sterilize, dry, powder and return the gloves to the re-usepoint.

In addition, the usable life of the gloves is substantially increased bythis invention. It has been earlier noted that gloves cleansed by thepresent method were perfectly satisfactory for use after thirty runs,and at this point the tests were discontinued because it was felt thatthis was beyond the normal expected life, due to anticipated damage fromother than sterilization or washing. However, when gloves are handcleansed by the earlier methods, the life of the gloves is generally notmore than three -re-uses. It may accordingly be anticipated thatsubstantial reductions in rubber glove requirements for hospitals,laboratories and the like will be effected, and from experience to datethis reduction is believed to be of the order of 80% Rubber glovesprocessed through the steps of this invention are uniformly satisfactoryfrom all standpoints, in that the gloves are clean, free of pathogens,dry and powdered lightly. In fact, the degree of powdering is such thatno additional talc is required to glove easily the powdered hand.

It is to be appreciated that various changes and modifications may beeffected in the process and apparatus herein disclosed without departingfrom the novel concepts of the present invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of cleaning rubber articles such as gloves which comprisesthe steps of confining the articles in an enclosed treatment zone whilesubjecting the same to a continuous series of separate steps in aprogrammed sequence including,

wetting said articles with a 'liquid disinfecting medium to destroy anypathogenic bacteria on said articles,

removing and discharging said liquid disinfecting medium and anydestroyed bacteria from the treatment zone,

thereafter washing and rinsing said articles first with a laundry liquidand then with a rinsing liquid, preliminarily drying said articles toremove a portion of said rinsing liquid thereon but leaving saidarticles in a semi-wet condition,

injecting into the treatment zone while said articles are in saidsemi-wet condition a powder lubricant to form a coating of lubricantslurry on the surfaces of said articles, and thereafter removingmoisture from the slurry and the treatment zone to leave a powderresidue 10 of said lubricant on said surfaces of said articles insufiicient quantity to render unnecessary subsequent powdering of saidarticles prior to the normal use thereof.

2. A method of cleaning rubber articles such as gloves, which includesthe steps of confining said articles in a treatment zone,

wetting the confined articles with an aqueous solution of disinfectantto chemically sterilize said articles, removing said aqueous solution ofdisinfectant from the treatment zone,

agitating said articles in the treatment zone in the presence of alaundry liquid to wash the articles, draining the laundry liquid fromthe treatment zone, rinsing the articles with a rinsing liquid in thetreatment zone,

partially drying said articles to remove only a portion of said rinsingliquid but leaving the articles in a semi-wet condition,

applying to said semi-wet articles in the treatment zone a powder toform with the remaining portion of said rinsing fluid an aqueous slurryof said powder on the surfaces of said articles,

and completing the drying of the articles in said treatment zone toremove the moisture from the slurry and leaving a powder residue havinglubricating properties on the surfaces of the articles.

3. A method of cleaning rubber gloves and like articles located in asingle treatment zone which comprises the steps of continuously andsequentially contacting said articles with a liquid disinfectant,

laundry liquid,

and rinsing liquid,

and while said articles are in said treatment zone with at least aportion of said rinsing liquid thereon,

applying to said articles a powder lubricant to provide on said articlesa slurry of said powder and said rinsing liquid and thereafter dryingsaid articles while in the treat ment zone to leave a powder residue onthe articles rendering said articles suitable for normal use withoutadditional powdering.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,312,950 Zimar-i-k Mar. 2, 1943 2,431,040 Harvey Nov. 18, 19472,534,014 Gayring et a1. Dec. 12, 1950 2,612,034 Constantine Sept. 30,1952 2,642,033 Miller June 16, 1953 2,650,489 Harvey Sept. 1, 19532,787,901 Abresch Apr. 9, 1957 2,938,366 Maddock-Clegg May 31, 19602,990,707 Gerhardt et a1 luly 4, 1961 OTHER REFERENCES Reddisch:Antiseptics, Disinfectants, Fungicides, and Chemical and PhysicalSterilization, 2nd edition, pages 797-799, Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia(1957).

1. A METHOD OF CLEANING RUBBER ARTICLES SUCH AS GLOVES WHICH COMPRISESTHE STEP OF CONFINING THE ARTICLES IN AN ENCLOSED TREATMENT ZONE WHILESUBJECTING THE SAME TO A CONTINUOUS SERIES OF SEPARATE STEPS IN APROGRAMMED SEQUENCE INCLUDING, WETTING SAID ARTICLES WITH A LIQUIDDISINFECTING MEDIUM TO DESTROY ANY PATHOGENIC BACTERIA ON SAID ARTICLES,REMOVING AND DISCHARGING SAID LIQUID DISINFECTING MEDIUM AND ANYPATHOGENIC BACTERIA ON SAID ARTICLES, ZONE, THEREAFTER WASHING ANDRINSING SAID ARTICLES FIRST WITH A LAUNDRY LIQUID AND THEN WITH ARINSING LIQUID, PRELIMINARILY DRYING SAID ARTICLES TO REMOVE A PORTIONOF SAID RINSING LIQUID THEREON BUT LEAVING SAID ARTICLES IN A SEMI-WETCONDITION, INJECTING INTO THE TREATMENT ZONE WHILE SAID ARTICLES ARE INSAID SEMI-WET CONDITION A POWER LUBRICANT TO FORM A COATING OF LUBRICANTSLURRY ON THE SURFACES OF SAID ARTICLES, AND THEREAFTER MOISTURE FROMTHE SLURRY AND THE TREATMENT ZONE TO LEAVE A POWDER RESIDUE OF SAIDLUBRICANT ON SAID SURFACE OF SAID ARTICLES